More Christmas Pictures

Buzz's new ride
Waiting to go dig into the stockings

Santa enjoys reading some Sports Illustrated in a non conventional position.

All dressed up to be a Wise Man in the annual family nativity. Hmm...this wise man apparently needs help with his deel* (*a deel is traditional Mongolian garb).

Looking very wise. And a little creepy.

Christmas

We enjoyed a wonderful little Christmas celebration with the Antonio's family on the 23rd. The boys loved opening gifts (who doesn't?) and were very excited about their new treasures.

Zoo Lights

My favorite zoo light display...the nursing Zebra! Haha!

Finally on the train!

We decided to go to zoo lights a few days before Christmas. It was cold, colder, and even colder! But despite the frost, the hour long wait in line for the train, and severe hunger pains, the boys insist it was fun. I on the other hand did not find it as enjoyable. Next year we will definitely be going much earlier in the season as the zoo was a complete madhouse!

Gingerbread House

The boys decorated their gingerbread house and had a lot of fun doing it. Gambit ate a lot more candy than he put on the house. They are so proud of it and love to pick off the candy to eat.

Fun with Cousins

It's a lot of fun to put all the empty toy bins in the pack 'n play and jump around in there. Who needs real toys anyway?

Painting

I've always wanted our front entryway painted so it's warm and inviting when we come into the house. We finally got around to it over Thanksgiving week. Painting 17 foot high ceilings is no picnic, but I just let Antonio take care of that part.

YOU can make a difference!

I have a friend, Bianca, who is an amazing mother to three beautiful daughters. Her youngest, Linden, was born last year with Down Syndrome. She is such an adorable and wonderful little girl and her mother gives 110% to all her children.

Bianca has set a goal to raise $20,000 for Reece's Rainbow, an organization that helps find international children with special needs (particularly Down Syndrome children) forever families.

If you want to make a difference, if you need a charity to give to, or if the stories of these children just tug at the heartstrings a bit, please consider giving whatever monetary donation you can afford. The lives of these children could be drastically altered, for good or bad. Around age 4 these special needs kids are moved from an orphanage to an institution. Where, unfortunately most die within the first year there. There doesn't seem to be a shortage of families who are willing to adopt these children, but international adoption can be very costly, and with the cost of medical needs of these children as well, it can be too much.

Check out her blog and progress (and a link to Reece's Rainbow) at http://www.joeandbianca.blogspot.com/.